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+--- Forum: Local Research and History Projects (/forumdisplay.php?fid=23)
+--- Thread: Nelson/Gore family tree (/showthread.php?tid=5151)

Dave:
I'm not specifically aware of any connection between my family tree and yours, but we have links to a lot of folks through marriages over the years. A relative on the Isle of Wight has traced our family name back to refugees from France in the early 1700's who fled from a place called "Ampier". When asked their name, their reply apparently was "Nous sommes d'Ampier" (We're from Ampier) and the name stuck - later modified to remove the apostrophe and capitalise the "d'. At some later date, the "ier"was also deleted.

I think it was my great-great grandfather who got fed up of digging wells (the family business on IOW) and ended up in Leyland. As I understand it, his son founded the family ironmongery and smithy at 143 Towngate, which closed in 1974 (I think).

I can pass on some of the female relatives' maiden names if you're interested. We're some distance away from Leyland now (about 4000 miles), living in a seaside town named Anacortes in Washington State, USA.

Diagonally across from our Towngate shop, on the corner of the side street, was a fish-monger's shop. He was very well known in Leyland and his last name was Nelson. Can't remember his first name, (may have been "Billy") but I'll check into it.